Alfred Sant: Il-baġit tal-Unjoni Ewropea għandu jiffoka aktar fuq kwistjonijiet soċjali

Il-Kap tad-delegazzjoni Maltija tal-Partit Laburista fil-grupp tas-S&D fil-Parlament Ewropew Alfred Sant ivvota favur rapport dwar it-titjib tal-Qafas Finanzjarju Multiannwali 2021-2027. Huwa rrikonoxxa li r-rapport huwa r-riżultat ta’ negozjati iebsa bejn il-gruppi politiċi ewlenin. Madanakollu, huwa enfasizza li l-baġit tal-Unjoni Ewropea għandu jiffoka aktar fuq kwistjonijiet soċjali. “Hu ċar li aktar investiment tal-Unjoni Ewropea għandu jiġi dirett lejn proġetti soċjali programmati fl-Istati Membri”, huwa sostna.

Kemm il-kriżi tal-COVID u b’mod partikolari l-inflazzjoni li għaddejja flimkien mal-bidliet fl-istrutturar tal-enerġija qed jikxfu l-fraġilità tax-xibka tas-sikurezza soċjali. Din tal-aħħar kienet ġiet imwarrba għal snin sħaħ minħabba prijoritajiet oħra peress li l-inflazzjoni kienet fl-livelli baxxi ħafna, innota Sant.

Il-Qafas Finanzjarju Multiannwali (MFF) attwali jinsab taħt pressjoni kbira. Il-kriżijiet f’diversi oqsma li qed tiffaċċja l-Unjoni Ewropea huma r-riżultat ta’ avvenimenti imprevedibbli, partikolarment il-gwerra fl-Ukrajna u l-effetti li din ġabet magħha. Il-Membri Parlamentari Ewropej talbu lill-Kummissjoni Ewropea biex tipproponi reviżjoni urġenti tal-baġit Ewropew biex twieġeb b’mod aktar effettiv għall-ħtiġijiet li qed jevolvu, tindirizza n-nuqqasijiet ta’ finanzjament, u żżid il-flessibbiltà u r-rispons għall-kriżijiet.

Alfred Sant reġa’ esprima riżervi qawwija dwar kif il-baġit tal-Unjoni baqa’ jiffoka fuq l-unjoni tad-difiża tal-Unjoni Ewropea. Dan għax aktar fondi Ewropej qed ikunu diretti lejn in-nefqa tad-difiża.

Ir-rapport ġie adottat b’366 vot favur, 128 kontra u 55 astensjoni.

Alfred Sant: The European Union budget should focus harder on social issues

The Head of the Maltese S&D Labour Party delegation to the European Parliament Alfred Sant voted in favour of a report on upscaling the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework. He acknowledged that the report is the result of hard negotiations between the major political factions. Yet, he emphasized that the European Union budget should focus harder on social issues. “Clearly, more European Union investment must be directly funneled towards programmed social projects in the Member States”, he claimed.

Both the COVID crisis and to a larger extent, the ongoing inflation plus energy shake-up are exposing the fragility of the social safety net. The latter was sidelined for years due to other priorities during a long period of practically zero inflation, Sant noted.

The current Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) is under extreme strain. The multiple crises the European Union is facing are the result of unforeseeable events, notably the war in Ukraine and the effects it has triggered. MEPs called on the European Commission to propose an urgent revision of the European budget to respond more effectively to evolving needs, address funding gaps, and increase flexibility and crisis responsiveness.

Alfred Sant again expressed strong reservations on the Union budgetary turn towards a European Union defence union and for further European funding to be directed towards defence spending. 

The report was adopted with 366 votes in favour, 128 against and 55 abstentions.